Leading Women of Africa Round Table

Women Rebuilding Africa Programme (WRAP)
“Reaching Millennium Development Goals in Africa through Empowerment of women”


Project Title:
Leading Women of Africa ROUNDTABLE
“Bridging the gap of Communication and Technology for women of Africa through teleconference”




Project managed
By





Contact Person:
Madelein Mkunu
Tel: 002721 551 99 29
Mobile: 00 27 84 919 3398
E-mail: Madelein@leadingwomenofafrica.com











Cape Town, 15 September 2008

To: Whom it may concern

Re: Leading Women of Africa ROUND TABLE

Dear Sir or Madam

Leading Women of Africa is pleased to present this proposal for your review. We look forward to partnering with you to provide access to communication with millions of African women boxed in rural areas of Africa until the recent century, through “teleconference”. The objective of this Roundtable project is to access as many women as possible in order to exchange information with them while technologically empowering them.
During the past few months, we have been identifying leaders across the continent that will be in charge of implementing various projects on the Continent. The process is being successfully implemented and we are pleased to informed you that Leading Women of Africa is operating in over ten (10) African Countries already.
We have been using skype to connect with our leaders in Africa and now we are seeking to expand by reaching more women in areas where there is no technological signal yet. We are aware of difficulty to introduce this project; however with little assistance from interested parties, we can reach our objectives. I would encourage you to visit our website on www.leadingwomenofafrica.com .

We look forward to collaborating with you as we journey together for empowerment of women at grassroots level.

Yours truly,

Madelein Mkunu
Founder and CEO
Leading Women of Africa

Brief Summary

The Developed World is characterized by increasing and efficient use of technology. Technology has generally improved life and business in all segments and sectors of society. Unfortunately, African continent has not kept pace with technological advancement.
"The information gap is very real and clearly whatever we can do to close it must be encouraged," Manuel told a news conference in Berlin on the UN-backed millennium development goals.
"Any initiative that can leapfrog over traditional means of getting information to people must be encouraged. Information is power and it supports democracy and it supports decision-making."
For centuries, Africans in general and women in particular have been boxed in their under-developed environment and had little information outside their areas. Even though the use of mobile phones is on rise in Africa, the high cost of access is relatively high for women, who make up the majority of the poor in developing countries.

Leading Women of Africa (LWA) introduces Leading Women of Africa ROUNDTABLE using “teleconference” technology as one of the effective means to connect women of Africa (from grassroots level) with each other African as well as global women and allowing them to access vital information that will shape their future.

The use of Communication and technology will allow women to change the level at which they communicate and adopt a new perspective on the world.

Women will still be living locally but can become more aware of what is going on globally. This project represents the beginning of Unity and Economic Empowerment of Women of Africa.

Project Environment

Leading Women of Africa Roundtable Project is to be established in various strategic communities of the Continent that can facilitate to reach women at grassroots level through our inter-continental offices.
Target Groups/Beneficiaries

· The first target group is Board members of Leading Women of Africa
· The second target group is women leaders at all levels
· The third and ultimate target group is women at grassroots level in Africa.

LWA will be working directly with above groups of women with the belief that women of Africa at every level will benefit from this project.

Problem Statement

The main challenge facing African women is gaining easy access to vital, life-saving information and solutions for their personal and economic development and empowerment.

Many women in Africa are poorly placed to benefit from a knowledge society because they have less access to resources of communication and technology.

Women want to be active in the process of development of Africa, but they are in serious need of knowledge and skills.

Women in Africa need to be to be “connected” with outside world in order to establish the beginnings of relationship between themselves and the rest of the world to shape a better future for the generation to come.

Project Mission & Objectives

Mission

The mission of this project is to facilitate effective communication for millions of African women that are boxed in the rural areas of the Continent to allow them to exchange information with outside world.

Objectives

It is expected that this project will:
- Facilitate connection and interaction between women of Africa and global women
- Unlock solutions to progressive approach for true women empowerment
- Facilitate Leading Women of Africa Board members regular meetings
- Facilitate linkage of information between rural and urban women
- Expose women at grassroots level to new trends of technology
- Fast Track the technological empowerment of women
- Assist to identify the economic potential of women in the rural areas
- Facilitate education and training for women using technology

Activities/Plan of Action

First, it will be necessary to establish a minimum of 10 satellite offices in the 53 Countries, total of 530 satellite offices on the Continent.